Improvement in building-blocks



MARY NOLAN.

BUILDING-BLOCKS; No 186,604. Patented Jan. 23,1877.

UNITED STATES,

PATEN OFFICE,

MARY N OLAN, ST. LOUIS,MISSOUR1.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUILDING-BLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 186,604, dated January 23, 1877; application filed December 20, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY NOLAN, of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented an Improved Building -Block, of which the following is a specification The object of my invention is to so construct buildingTbIocks, that in laying them to form a wall, the blocks of each course shall be laterally locked together, and to the blocks of the othercourse.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is perspective VlBW of the building-block Fig. 2, a perspective view, showing the mode of laying .the blocks; Fig. 3, a plan view, and Fig. 4 amodified form of block.

The block has-a tenon, a, at oneend, a mortise, b,'at the opposite end, both mortises and tenons having parallel sides, and extending from top to bottom of the block, and the tenon of one block being arranged to fit snugly, butfreely, in the mortise of another block.

The manner of laying the blocks so as to break joints, is shown in Fig. 2, where it will be observed that the mortises of all the blocks of one course are on the left, and the tenons on the. right, while in the next course the tenonsare on the left, and the mortises on the right. By this arrangement the tenon-a of the block A of the upper course is directly above and coincides with the mortise bof theblock B of the lower course, but the lower block presents two ledges, m m, one on each side of l the tenon of theupper block, and on these ledges bear the projections an of a third block, in the mortise of which fits the tenon jection, y, below, so that on laying the blocks,

the projections y of one course willenter the recesses of the course below, the projections being within the mortises of the lower course, so that the two courses will be laterally locked together.

The blocks are so intimately connected together that the wall will present an uniform surface of finished appearance, so as to render the use of plaster unnecessary for the inner walls of buildings, and when used for this purpose the blocks may be enameled or otherwise ornamented on the edges for decorative effects.

My plan of interlocking the blocks enables me to make a hollow wall without detracting from its permanency and solidity.

I prefer to make a rectangular opening through each block, as shown in the drawing, but the openings may be of different shapes, provided those in the blocks of one course communicate with those of the adjoining courses.

In the present instance the openings in the blocks are such as to form within the wall, a series of vertical passages, which may be used as fines, or for ventilating purposes, or simply to insure a dry wall.

It will be understood that some of the blocks should be plain at one end for the ends of the walls.

I am aware that it has been proposed to build walls of blocks joined together by means of dovetailed joints. This I do not desire to I claim, therefore; but

. I claim as my invention- 1. Awall composed of building-blocks,- each having a flat top and bottom, a mortise having parallel sides at one end, and a tenon having parallel sides at the opposite end, when the blocks of adjoining courses are arranged in opposite directions, so' as to break joints, in the manner described and illustrated in Fig. 2.

2. The within described ,building block, a .made with a mortise at one end, and at the other with a tenon, having formed on it a recess, wfand projection a as set forth, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARY NOLAN. Witnesses:

HERMANN MOESSNER, HARRY SMITH. 

